The story of the Big Board Fence as told by Aunt Maydell

04Dec

When it was learned that young Dr. Joseph (Briggs) Murphy had bought the Dr. Barrows place between City Hall and the Clarence Boyden home (the old Simeon Doggett homestead) all hell broke loose. No Irish Catholic must defile Summer St (the Sacred precincts of the First Parish Church). Mrs. Boyden lived next door, her brother-in-law Judge Fox on the corner of Spring, the Colonel Masons on the other corner. Although Mary Briggs had married a graduate of the Royal College of Surgeons and their son was a graduate of Harvard, he bore the name of “Murphy” and was a Roman Catholic. No such person could settle in the elite neighborhood of Summer Street. Just before your father was born at #23 Summer, my mother heard a great pounding one night. There was Judge Fox superintending the erection of a solid two-story wood fence, not a foot from the whole side of the house. In a few days it was complete and the Murphys were in darkness. Meanwhile Father tood it to the courts, but Grandfather Bliss didn’t wait. He was a brawny six-footer, an excellent carpenter, and he walked from Kilton St. to Summer St. with a ladder on his shoulder and a saw in his hand, he then proceeded to saw window-holes in the Boyden fence. Mrs. Boyden ran out screaming. Judge Fox appeared with an axe, but Grandfather persevered. Your father was born at #23 Summer St. in the light of a new day. Judge Bennett decided in favor of the Murphys. The fence came down.

Kelly Family

Lawrence Kelly and wife Ann (Lynch) Kelly

Peter Kelly and Friend Tin Type

Peter Kelly in New York tin type

Peter Kelly in New York tin type

Peter Kelly tin type

Lawrence Kelly 1816-1900

James W Kelly

From Left to right Sister of Fanny (Kelly) Gough possibly Lena Kelly (but could be Mary Kelly) next to her is David Murphy, Joseph Murphy, Richard Murphy is on her Grandmother Fanny (Kelly) Gough’s lap and in front of her is Robert Murphy